The present invention relates to a lacing device for ski boots, and more particularly to novel means for anchoring the two members composing the said lacing device to the ski boot.
The modern ski boots are provided with a number of lacing devices each comprising a hooked lever-like member cooperating with a ring-like member. The said members are fastened to base plates, which in turn are secured to the ski boot upper, at both sides of the longitudinal opening formed in the upper, usually by means of rivets.
In the event that one of the said devices becomes irreparably damaged, its substitution is very difficult, and may be accomplished only by a skilled person with the aid of special tools and with the serious risk of damaging the ski boot.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,796 to GUOLO (patented May 18, 1976) there is shown a lacing device in which the lacing members are mounted each on a base plate which may be assembled and removed with a sliding fit on a slide guide formed on the ski boot upper. The arrangement according to the mentioned U.S. patent solves the problem of the possibility of easy removal of the lacing member to be substituted, but presents two inconveniences deriving from the fact that the lacing members may be accidentally removed and lost when the lacing device is not closed, and that there is no possibility of adjustment of the distance of the lacing members with respect to the longitudinal opening defined in the upper by the flaps, that is of the distance between the two cooperating lacing members of each lacing device.
The lacing device for ski boots according to the invention is characterized by the feature that its components, or lacing members, can be easily mounted and disassembled (but not accidentally) from the ski boot upper, and that they are secured on the ski boot with the possibility of adjustment of their distance with respect to the longitudinal opening in the ski boot, that is of the distance between the two cooperating lacing members of each lacing device, in a very simple manner, without the need of special tools, by the individual skier at the moment of the use of the ski boot.
The lacing device according to the invention is characterized by the provision, on the ski boot upper, of a slide guide element presenting a series of notches longitudinally arranged on same. The lacing member (either hooked lever-like or cooperating ring-like lacing member) is mounted on a carrier plate which can be slidingly fitted onto the mentioned slide guide element. The carrier plate is provided with a locking lever presenting a locking tooth which can be pressed and inserted into the desired notch thus locking the carrier plate, and the lacing member mounted on it, on the desired position.